This invention relates to boat carrying structures and is particularly concerned with improvements in supporting devices which are suitable for incorporation in a boat trailer or other boat transporting vehicle structure.
The adoption, by many, of boating as a hobby has resulted in the development of various accessories, such as, boat trailers, which are designed to make it more convenient to transport and store pleasure craft when not in the water. A well designed trailer must securely cradle a boat and also serve as a flexible launching device. It is highly desirable that the trailer have supporting elements or devices which will conform, at least in part, to the hull contour, so that contact pressures exerted will be distributed in a manner which will not cause localized stress sufficient to result in damage to the hull. Roller elements with rubber tread have been used with some degree of success for this purpose.
A general object of the invention is to provide a supporting device for incorporation in a boat trailer or the like which will adapt the structure constituting the trailer bed for the handling of boats of varying dimensions and hull contour with a greater degree of safety and in an easier manner than possible with similar structures previously developed.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide in a boat trailer or similar boat carrying structure an improved hull engaging roller construction which will adapt itself to the contour of the hull surface which it engages so as to distribute the resulting stress over a maximum contact area in a manner which will reduce to a minimum the likelihood of damage to the hull when loading or unloading or while the boat is resting thereon in storage.
Another object of the invention is to provide a boat supporting or contacting roller structure for boat trailers, or the like, wherein the roller surface provides an adequate cushion effect and with improved mounting, good guiding is obtainable.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a roller structure which includes interchangeable mounting elements enabling a gimbal effect to be achieved with either a conventional solid surface type roller or an improved cushion surface roller.
To this end the invention as claimed herein is embodied in a roller structure adapted for supporting a boat on a trailer bed, or the like, which has a roller surface adapted for engaging the boat hull so as to provide, at least to some degree, a cushion effect and which will distribute the stress over a substantial area and means for mounting the roller on the supporting bed so as to obtain good guiding and supporting as the boat is pulled across the rollers with minimum risk of damage to the hull.
The aforesaid objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when reference is made to the accompanying detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention which is set forth therein, by way of example, and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout.